Early blight on sweet pepper plants: symptoms, causes, control

Early blight is a fungal disease that affects sweet pepper plants, causing dark spots on the leaves and damage to the fruits. This article from the World of Plants website reviews the most important symptoms of early blight on sweet pepper plants and methods of prevention and control.

Causes of early blight on sweet pepper plants

• Disease name: Early blight of sweet pepper
• Scientific name: Alternaria solani
• Type of disease: fungal
• Disease family: Pleosporaceae

Early blight can affect sweet pepper plants at almost any time during the growing season. It is a disease that spreads slowly, as early blight fungi overwinter on decaying plant debris and form new spores in the spring.

Symptoms of early blight on sweet pepper plants

Symptoms of early blight appear first on old, mature leaves. Irregular spots appear on the leaves as the spots expand and gather until a large part of the leaf turns yellow. Dark, sunken spots also appear on the stems at or above the soil line. The disease can be transmitted from The stem to the sweet pepper fruit, causing it to rot.

Development cycle of early blight on sweet pepper plants

Fungal spores carrying the disease are spread by wind or rain. The disease can also be transmitted by flea beetles, which feed on diseased plants through cracks and wounds in plant tissue. When the disease is widespread, several generations of spores form.

Suitable conditions for the spread of early blight on sweet pepper plants

Early blight fungi germinate when plants are damp from heavy dew or frequent rain, and are most prevalent in areas where there is high humidity and temperatures above 25°C.

Losses resulting from the spread of early blight on sweet pepper plants

After a period of continuous rain, the activity of the disease increases and spreads, which leads to major damage, including the weakening of the plant due to falling leaves, and it also leads to rotting of the fruits if the infection is neglected.

Controlling early blight on sweet pepper plants

1. Remove infected leaves from the sweet pepper plant.
2. Cleaning the field from plant residues and weeds.
3. Spray infected pepper plants with a fungicide containing chlorothalonil.
4. Use a biological fungicide such as Trichoderma.

Preventive measures for early blight on sweet pepper plants

1. Use disease-free seeds.
2. Cultivation of disease-resistant varieties of sweet pepper.
3. Planting trees in the field within a safe distance.
4. Avoid overhead watering.
5. Good fertilization of the plant helps in resisting the disease

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• Sources:
• Early Blight Fungus Disease – harvesttotable
  Early blight - plantix